Quakerism, Peace and Justice (distance)

This module contributes to the Certificate and MA programmes by introducing students to the central Quaker concepts of peace and justice and how these ideas have been understood in different political and theological contexts. It is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of key issues within this aspect of Quaker ‘testimony’.

Understanding the differing attitudes to this historic Quaker witness amongst different Quaker traditions is central to the understanding of international Quakerism. The decentralised structure of international Quaker ecclesiology allows competing values to each assume its primacy whereas the reality is of differing emphases of witness in the world amongst a global Quaker community. This module introduces students to ways of conceptualizing Quaker past and present in terms of peace and justice work:

What is the basis and content of peace and social justice in a Quaker understanding?

How has this changed across time and within different Quaker traditions?

What is the place of the peace and social justice of Quakerism in boundary-maintenance?

How is Quaker peace-identity constructed and maintained in different Quaker traditions?

How does peace relate to international relations?

Is Quaker peace and justice best described as prophetic or reconciliatory?

The teaching and learning strategy of this distance learning module is designed to give students comprehensive understanding of key issues in Quaker concepts of peace and justice. Lectures podcasting and online discussion activities will be complemented by live online seminars through video conferencing facility. Distance learning students will have a lot of opportunities of online interaction with peers and tutors.